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THE COUNTRYMAN.
15
camped in Frederick County, some 4 days,
after which a forward move was made to
wards Hagerstown, with Gen. D. H. Hill’s
division in the rear. We had advanced
but a short distance into Washington Co.,
before information came, chat the enemy
was pursuing us with a large force. We
faced about, and met ln'm bet ween Boones-
boro’ and Middleton, at Blue Ridge Pass, or
Patrick's Gap, early Sunday morning, 14th
inst. Cannonading was kept up, regular
ly through the day, with musketry at dif
ferent points, until late in the evening,
when the engagement became general, Gen.
Longstreet having arrived with heavy re
inforcements. In the engagement, Gen.
Ripley’s brigade occupied the extreme
right wing, and the 44th Ga., the right of
the brigade, Col. Doles’s regiment being
on some detached service, at the time. In
this fight, our position was a good one (I
mean that of the 44th.) Though under
fire nearly the Avhole time, we had only
one or two in the regiment wounded. Af
ter fighting until about.9 o’clock, p. m., we
repulsed the enemy, and fell back, on sun-
day night, in the direction of the Potomac,
to Sharpsburg, where we made a stand,
and awaited the coming of the enemy,
who soon made his appearance, and com
menced shelling us. This was kept up from
monday until Wednesday, when the most
bloody battle of the war commenced. The
battle continued the whole day, without
the least cessation. . We were ordered into
it early in the morning, and had to fight
most desperately. At one time, I thought
all hopes of success were gone. Our boys
fell as regularly and as fast as counting one,
two, three. This I observed in my own
company. The first person whom I saw
shot, Avas Capt. Pearson. He was shot
immediately in the head—our position be
ing that, of lying down. The Captain’s
loss is irreparable, and his place cannot be
filled so well. He died endeared to his
company by ties of mutual friendship and
kindness. The men knew nothing but to
love and obey him. We can only hope
that our loss is the eternal gain of our
friend, whose course was that of a man of
integrity, chaiily, and Christianity . While
we know friends weep at home, Ave too sor
row, abroad, for one who was so kind, and
ever ready to confer a favor. Besides him,
six others of our brave boys fell in this
bloody struggle. They fought until the
last. Men were falling all around, but still
our boys held their ground, and fired.
Without going farther, I will give you a
list of the casualties, as correctly as I
can.
Killed : Capt. Pearson, John Brewing-
ton, Jndson M. Lawrence, John Barnett,
John Cole, J. J. Cockrmn, and Thomas
White.
Wounded : Lt. J. B. Reese, in the arm,
slightly; Sergt. A. H. Wright, through
right arm, severely; Corp. T. J. Moore,
on chin, slightly ; Private J. C. Alfoid,
ball entered back of the neck, and came
out just beloAV the arm-pit—badly, not se
riously; C. S. Mooneyham, shot tlnougk
left arm, just above the elbow—ball enter
ed lower part of the right thigh—severe
ly; Richard BroAvn, in right arm, slightly ;
Green J. Spivey, through right arm, near
the shoulder, severely; 0. S. Wynn, in
the head, slightly ; J. M. Sanders, in the
head, slightly ; W. H. Fuller, in left arm,
slightly ; John Maddox, in the back, with
shell. Sergt. Howard was knocked down
by a bomb. John West, I learn, Avas
wounded, but how much, I am not able to
say.
I have given you as correct a list as I
know. Some of this I give upoirthe evi
dence of others.— Of the Putnam Light
Infantry, John Moore and Hetland were
killed—several of the boys slightly Avound-
ed. Lt. Reid, of the Brown Rifles, was
severely wounded, through the right thigh ;
Lt. O’Brien through hand, or fingers. It is
said that Capt. Nisbet was killed. - I hope
this is untrue. It is said that Jackson had
another fight on Saturday last. Who were
engaged and hurt in it, I am unable to say.
After the Sharpsburg battle, our army
fell back on the Virginia side of the Poto
mac. The enemy crossed, but was beaten
back with considerable loss, on Saturday
and Sunday. Jackson has re-crossed the
Potomac. j. b. r.
The Child’s Index.
This is the title of a very neat, well-
pvinted, Avell-edited child’s paper, publish
ed by Rev. S. Boykin of The Christian
Index, Macon, Ga., at 50 cents per annum.
It is a monthly publication.—I wish The
Child’s Index abundant success, except in
its unamiable attempt at unchurching all
other denominations (embracing some of
the editor’s nearest, and best friends) ex
cept its own. In this ((hank God) it will
tail, as it ought to fail.
John Adams.
“John Adams, a distinguished patriot of
the American revolution, was born in 1735,
at Braintree, Massachusetts. He was edu
cated at the university of Cambridge, and
received the degree of master of arts in
175S. At this time he entered the office of
Jeremiah Gridley, a lawyer of the highest
eminence, to complete his legal studies;
and in the next year he was admitted to
the bar of Suffolk. Mr. Adams at an ear
ly age espoused the cause of his country,
and received numerous marks of the pub
lic confidence and respect. He took a prom
inent part in every leading measure, and
served on several committees which report
ed some of the most important State pa
pers of the time. He was elected a mem
ber of the Congress, and was among the
foremost in recommending the adoption of
an independent government. It has been
affirmed by Mr. Jefferson himself, ‘that
the great pillar of support to the declara
tion of independence, and its ablest advo
cate and champion on the floor of the house,
was John Adams.’ In 1777, he was cho
sen commissioner to the court of Versailles,
in the place of Mr. Dean, Avho was recall
ed. On his return, about ayear afterwards,
he was elected a member of the convention
to prepare a form of government for the
state of Massachusetts, and placed on the
sub-committee chosen to draught the project
of a constitution. . Three months alter his
return, congress sent him abroad with two
commissions, one as minister plenipotentia
ry to negotiate a peace ; the other to form
a commercial treaty with Great Britain.
In June 1780, he was appointed in the
place of Mr. Laurens, ambassador to Hol
land, and in 1782 he repaired ,to Paris to
commence the negotiation for peace, hav
ing previously obtained assurance that
Great Britain would recognize the indepen
dence of the United States. At the close
of the war, Mr. A. was appointed the first
minister to London. In 1789 he was elec
ted vice-president of the Uunited States,
and, on the resignatioi^f Washington, suc-
ceded to the presidency, 1797. After his
term of four years had expired, it was found,
on the nevv election, that his adversary, Mr.
Jefferson, had succeeded by the majority
of "one vote. On retiring to his*farm in
Quincy, Mr. A. occupied himself with ag
riculture, obtaining amusement from the
literature and politics of the day. The
remaining years of his life were passed in
almost uninterrupted tranquility. He died
on the 4th of July, 1826, with the same
words on his lips, which fifty years before,
on that glorious day, he had uttered on the
floor of Congress : ‘ Independence forever.’
Mr. Adams is the author of an Essay on
Cauon and Feudal Law ; a series of letters
published under the signature of Novan-
glus ; and discourses on Davila.”
“Weak people are incapable of sincerity.”